Larval therapy also known as maggot therapy is a type of biotherapy involving the introduction of live, disinfected fly larvae into non-healing skin and soft tissue wounds of a human or animal for the purpose of disinfection and debridement or cleaning out the necrotic (dead) tissue within a wound. From a clinical point of view, major effects of larval therapy have been ascribed to their antibacterial and debriding mechanisms. In regard to the latter function, it has been speculated that once larvae are introduced into the wound, they secrete proteolytic enzymes that enable them to degrade and ingest necrotic tissues.
Collagenase (MMP1) is a member of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and is highly expressed in the salivary glands of Lucilia sericata once the larva gets in contact with wounds. Its expression is associated with contact to injuries. A unique characteristic of collagenase is its ability to degrade type I, II, III and IV collagens. Therefore, in the cases where collagen may be generated in more than the required amount or produced in unsuitable sites, utilizing an injectable collagenase or its ointment may be helpful in degradation of collagen. Also, collagenase, both in vitro and vivo, demonstrates certain therapeutic properties in wound healing and some diseases, for example, Peyronie's Disease, glaucoma, intervertebral disc herniation, burns, keloid, Dupuytren's disease, nipple pain, cellulite, lipoma, etc.
Although debridement treatment using the larvae of Lucilia sericata has become a widely accepted clinical practice, live larvae are unpleasant to many patients. Also, use of live larvae on wounds and the introduction of their crude secretions into wounds, which inevitably occurs when the larvae are used, are unacceptable to many patients and many medical practitioners. The use of live organisms also increases risk of infection or allergic reactions in the patient. In addition, the Lucilia sericata species of flies plays can be agent of facultative myiasis in humans and animals. There is, therefore, a need in the art for identification of collagenase gene sequences from Lucilia sericata larvae.